Preparing Windows Server Machines for Migration with CloudEndure

This guide describes how to prepare a Windows Server machine for migration
to Google Cloud Platform using the CloudEndure
VM Migration Service. These are pre-migration tasks. After you have completed
these tasks, continue with the steps described in
Migrating VMs with CloudEndure.

Enable Remote Desktop connections

To connect to your instance after it has been migrated, you must enable
connections using the remote desktop protocol (RDP). For steps to enable
RDP connections, see the documentation for your version of Windows Server.

Turn on Emergency Management Services

In the Windows command prompt, run the following command, which enables EMS
on serial port 2:

bootcfg /ems ON /port COM2 /baud 115200 /id 1

Enable the SOS boot setting

The SOS boot setting shows driver names as they are being loaded. This is
helpful if you need to troubleshoot issues with device drivers after the
migration.

In the Windows command prompt, run the following command:

bootcfg /addsw /SO /ID 1

Create local administrator accounts

If you need additional local administrator accounts on your instance, create
those accounts before you migrate.

Additional tasks for Windows Server 2003

If you are migrating a Windows Server 2003 machine to Compute Engine,
you must perform the following additional tasks before you migrate your machine.

Disable the Windows Driver Signing policy

You must disable the Windows Driver Signing policy, so that you can install the
CloudEndure migration agent. As a best practice, re-enable the policy after you
have migrated your VM.

To disable the Driver Signing policy:

On your desktop, right-click My Computer, and select Properties.

Click the Hardware tab, and click Driver Signing.

In the Driver Signing options, select Ignore.

Click OK to save your changes.

Enable registry settings to shut down your instances from the Console

To ensure that you can cleanly shut down your Windows Server 2003 instances
from the Cloud Platform Console, you must edit your Windows Registry to allow
shutdown commands without requiring a user to sign in to Windows.

Run the following commands to edit the Windows Registry on your machine: